The University of California regents aim to challenge the law, passed in 1986, that forbids the hiring of illegal aliens. The challenge will be based on a legal theory concocted by UCLA law scholars which holds that the 1986 law is a federal statue which does not have authority over states and state entities, such as the University of California.
Regent John A. Pérez, a key proponent of this plan, stated, “Absolutely, it is our intention to find a way to allow employment opportunities for all our students, regardless of their immigration status.” A warning against the plan came from George Fishman, a senior legal fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies. He observed that “If officials at the University of California were to knowingly hire aliens not authorized to work under federal law, they would be opening themselves up to both civil and, potentially, criminal penalties.”
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